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Generally speaking

Overage defenceman Matt Petgrave, who broke his arm in Thursday's loss to London, underwent surgery on Monday to have a pin inserted and is expected out six to eight weeks. His absence creates a huge void on the Generals' blue-line, with coach DJ Smith hoping Chris Carlisle and Tyler Hore, among others, can step up and fill in. "Petter will be back after the Christmas break, so these guys have got seven or eight weeks to show everyone that they deserve to play the big minutes," he said ... Trevor Morbeck, acquired from the Kingston Frontenacs on Friday for a 10th-round pick, scored a goal in Sunday's loss. He adds depth up front to a group that has been troubled by injuries and suspension through the first two months ... Boone Jenner had the other two Oshawa goals Sunday to reach the 20-goal plateau ... Scott Laughton made his return to the lineup Sunday after serving out his 10-game suspension for a head-check on Ottawa's Daniel Walsh Oct. 24. He centred the third line and replaced Petgrave on the point for power plays. As of Tuesday Walsh remains out of the 67's lineup.

OSHAWA -- Heading into Sunday's game, the Oshawa Generals had collected three of four points in two previous games and had a team coming in on the last of a three-in-three stretch.

That would suggest the Mississauga Steelheads should have been ripe for the picking and that a five-out-of-six-points weekend would be in the cards for the Generals.

Not so.

Rather, despite leading after two periods of play, it was Oshawa that put forth the lacklustre effort, looking tired and somewhat disinterested from the start in a 5-3 loss to the Steelheads in front of 4,095 at the General Motors Centre.

Even with the loss, the Generals still came out of the weekend still tied for top spot in the East Division, though coach DJ Smith was less than impressed with his club.

"We didn't have legs and when you don't have legs you've got to play the right way and we didn't play the right way," said Smith afterwards, sounding more frustrated than he has at any point through the first two months of the season. "We almost got away with it, leading going into the third period, but tonight the better team won. You're not going to win in this league if you're not willing to compete and play hard every night."

After seeing much better efforts out of his team Friday in a 5-1 home-ice win over the Belleville Bulls and Thursday up in London in a 4-3 overtime loss, Smith didn't have an answer as to why he got such an effort, or lack of, on Sunday.

One thing he was sure of, though, is he doesn't want to see it again.

"I have no idea, but I am certainly not happy about it," he said when asked for the reasoning behind the poor showing. "We're going to go over it this week, we're going to talk with the players. That's not the way I ever want my team to play.

"A team coming in on a three-in-three, we should be jumping all over them and we just didn't. I don't know if we took them lightly, or whatever the case may be, but we deserved what we got tonight."

On Friday they got what they deserved as well, with the outcome much more desirable.

With offence hard to come by of late and captain Boone Jenner seemingly the only one to provide it with marked consistency, a group of others stepped up in a big way against the Bulls.

Cole Cassels had his first career two-goal game in the OHL, and added an assist for a three-point night, while Tyler Biggs potted a pair as well to lead the way. Scott Sabourin had the other goal, his 10th of the year to equal his career-high set last season.

Daniel Altshuller played both weekend games -- along with Thursday in London as well -- with mixed results. Friday he stopped 26 for the win, while in Sunday's 22-save effort he was beaten more than once in a questionable manner.

The Generals (12-10-1-2) return to action Friday night at home to the Ottawa 67's before hosting the Niagara Ice Dogs on Sunday afternoon (2:05 p.m.).

"We're going to be intense all week. We're going to practise hard and we're going to make sure we're ready for Friday night when Ottawa comes in here," Smith said when asked how his team would turn the page.